Various devices, particularly in the watch making field, allow a set of decorative elements to be assembled on a flexible connecting member, for example to form a watch bracelet or a necklace. Links are then arranged in accordance with different variants to form a more or less rigid hinged assembly.
In the technical field, various devices concern links that are hinged to each other to form a bracelet or necklace but these devices, based on the principle of hinging links to each other, do not allow said links to be spaced along the assembly element because of the necessary juxtaposition of the elements.
A bracelet composed of links connected to each other using pins is known, there also exist links in the form of a frame, like that disclosed in FR Patent No. 1 603 836 and several examples of this design for necklaces or bracelets in which the links are arranged in relation to each other via more or less sophisticated hinges and linking parts.
Since the complexity of this type of hinge has been the cause of numerous problems during use, the use of one or several flexible connecting members, which generally pass through the links, has been envisaged, in order to overcome this difficulty. Such systems are disclosed for example in CH Patent Nos. 490 827 and 482 420.
In the field of jewellery, the use of a connecting member passing through decorative elements or jewels, which are then simply threaded on one after the other, is well known. When there is an insufficient number of elements, i.e. they cannot be juxtaposed, this arrangement results in unevenly distributed empty spaces and to an inelegant assembly when the necklace or bracelet is worn by the user.
It is indispensable for the decorative elements to be held on the flexible connecting member if a chain configuration with preserved empty spaces is desired, i.e. in the situation in which the links or decorative elements are not juxtaposed to form a continuous assembly. This arrangement can be desired when the decorative elements are voluminous or when, for example, the decorative part of the links changes from one element to the next.
A first problem to be overcome thus consists in the possibility of arranging links along a necklace or bracelet in a discontinuous manner with the possibility of keeping said links in predefined positions.
The arrangement of elements on a flexible connecting member is known wherein the elements are hinged to each other in a complex manner, for example by snap fit, such as disclosed in FR Patent No. 2 036 330.
Bracelets have also been proposed wherein one or several flexible connecting members pass through links and are held by the pinching or deformation of the element itself, as illustrated in CH Patent No. 515 005.
EP Patent No. 167 891 relating to a wristwatch including a plurality of elements hinged to each other, and wherein the links comprise two longitudinal channels for the passage of flexible connecting members, has a similar assembly and holding design to that cited previously.
A method of securing decorative elements to a flexible connecting member by means of locking screws passing through said elements has also been disclosed. This device allows the links perfect freedom of movement in relation to each other but employs a large number of small parts that are difficult to assembly on an industrial scale.
Study of the prior art shows that several devices overcome this known problem of spacing links or decorative elements along a flexible connecting member, however, the systems usually have the major drawback of making it difficult, or impossible, to replace the assembled elements and of complicating both adjustment of the length of the assembly and positioning the individual elements longitudinally.
From an aesthetic point of view, control of the linking and localisation of the elements is frequently desired, for example for jewellery necklaces. One could for example envisage placing a juxtaposed set of pearls, then an empty space, a black pearl, an empty space, another jewel, and again a set of pearls, to form original series of links.
A second problem consists thus in making an assembly whose individual elements are easy to arranged, and particularly maintaining the possibility of empty spaces along the necklace or bracelet, between the links, while ensuring that said links are immobilised in their allocated position.
In known bracelet and necklace manufacturing techniques the various attempts to overcome the preceding problems have led to complex solutions that are often difficult to implement. A third, economical, problem is raised as regards the mass production of such bracelets or necklaces. The ability to produce technically simple links for the lowest possible cost price is a deciding factor.
Currently in the field of jewellery or watch making, the decorative parts covering the parts or assemblies produced are difficult to alter. A fourth problem is linked to the ease with which the decorative parts carried by the links can be replaced in order to adapt them to fashion and the user's convenience, whether this is carried out by users or during manufacture.
Said decorative parts and the hinged link assembly on a flexible connecting member must also answer the necessary criteria of solidity and durability during extended use of the necklace or bracelet.